From the first time Xiao Qianyin saw him, she had seen a yearning deep in his eyes—a longing to be valued by others. That meant he was not beyond saving.
“If you’re unwilling to accept it, then work hard! Work hard and show everyone. Prove to the world that you, Lin Yan, are not some useless dandy young master!”
She struck the wooden table with her palm. In an instant, the perfectly intact table shattered into pieces, leaving everyone staring in stunned silence.
She was saying this to Lin Yan, but also to herself. She and Lin Yan would not be useless good-for-nothings!
“Many thanks for your guidance, miss. May I ask your esteemed name?” Lin Yan’s attitude was incomparably respectful. If not for her words today, he would still be one of the two scourges of the imperial capital.
“Me?” Xiao Qianyin laughed aloud. Though she was close at hand, her voice seemed to descend from above the ninth heaven, carrying a supreme, awe-inspiring dignity. Word by word, her tone light and unhurried, she said, “Lin Yan, you and I are the same kind of person. I am the other scourge of the imperial capital, the maternal granddaughter of Marquis Dingguo—Xiao Qianyin!”
Her words stirred up a thousand waves. Like a pebble falling into a tranquil lake, they sent ripples spreading everywhere, and the crowd burst into discussion.
“She’s Xiao Qianyin? Heavens, I’m not dreaming, am I?”
“No, no, I must be dreaming!”
“Did the sun rise from the west today?”
“I must be hallucinating.”
It was not only Lian Jun—even Lin Yan’s eyes widened. “You’re Xiao Qianyin, Miss Xiao?”
“Do you think there’s a second Xiao Qianyin?” Xiao Qianyin lifted the corners of her lips in amusement.
“I heard about your glorious deeds. They say you beat up the envoy sent by the Southern Tang Crown Prince, then had him driven out with cudgels?”
His eyes were filled with excitement as he urgently sought confirmation from her.
“Oh, you mean that thing that couldn’t speak like a human and wasn’t even fit to be called one? That’s right. I beat him up and chased him out. His master is no decent thing, so naturally his attendant wouldn’t be any better.”
Everyone sucked in a cold breath. Xiao Qianyin had too much courage! She actually dared to say in front of everyone that the Southern Tang Crown Prince was no decent thing? Damn it, did she think the shock they’d suffered wasn’t big enough already? Wasn’t it said that Xiao Qianyin was deeply in love with the Southern Tang Crown Prince? How could she… Could this be the legendary hatred born from love?
No one dared call her Miss Good-for-Nothing again. What a joke—just now, she had shattered a wooden table with a single palm strike, and that had been an incredibly sturdy mahogany table. Without at least some skill, that was absolutely impossible!
“What a Xiao Qianyin. It seems we were the ones who misjudged her.” The soft laugh was alluring and gentle. The third floor was only accessible to marquises, nobles, and the powerful. It had secluded private rooms; when the windows were opened, one could take in everything happening on the first and second floors at a glance.
A slender, fair hand reached out the window, lightly tapping the window lattice.
His black hair, long as flowing water, was neither bound nor tied, spilling down behind him, smooth and straight like the finest satin. His brows and eyes were picturesque, his lips the color of cherries, his skin like snow. Beneath delicate features so refined they seemed almost feminine was a pair of dark, magnificent eyes capable of stealing souls. The corners of his eyes tilted slightly upward, adding even more seductive charm. His red lips were lightly pressed together, seeming to smile and yet not smile; with the slightest carelessness, he could ensnare one’s very soul. He was beautiful to the extreme.
The man’s gaze locked onto the black-clad young woman on the second floor. Unlike her usual bright, luxurious clothes and heavy makeup, the silver-white ribbon in her hair danced in the wind, and the radiance shining in her eyes made even the blazing sun pale in comparison. No matter how peerlessly beautiful something was, it could not match the splendor of this single moment.
Interesting. Very interesting! Ji Ce thought to himself. He had seen her countless times clinging to Bei Wuxuan, but this time, she had truly exceeded his expectations.
The guard behind him stood respectfully, turning a deaf ear to his master’s murmured words.